On the January 28 edition of AEW Dynamite, Tommaso Ciampa shocked the world by making his debut in the company, just days after his WWE exit was made official.
Confronting TNT Champion Mark Briscoe, Ciampa put the entire company on notice that “The Psycho Killer” has arrived after a decade-long run with the promotion.
Now part of the AEW roster, fans could see even more names from the WWE roster follow in Ciampa’s footsteps in the near future.
Here are seven more WWE stars to potentially join Tommaso Ciampa in AEW.
7. Johnny Gargano
Back in 2015, Tommaso Ciampa signed with WWE and quickly started to make a name for himself on the NXT brand.
Upon his debut, Ciampa was aligned with Johnny Gargano and formed DIY – a tag team that would define NXT for six years.
From their rise becoming NXT Tag Team Champions, to their infamous breakup and subsequent rivalry that led to both men winning the NXT Championship, Ciampa and Gargano have been joined at the hip for the better part of the past 10 years.
While Gargano seems happy in WWE right now, it would not be surprising to see DIY reunite with one another in All Elite Wrestling where both men have a ton of supporters of what they offer as a unit.
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6. Candice LeRae
Another WWE star who has been connected to both Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano is Candice LeRae.
The wife of Gargano is a well accomplished in-ring performer in her own right that has not always been highlighted on WWE television.
From her days in PWG, LeRae has been someone who is known for her famous battles against The Young Bucks and could use that connection to pave a path to All Elite Wrestling.
With the ever expanding AEW women’s scene, it would make sense if Candice LeRae gave Tony Khan’s promotion a try and joined Ciampa in the company down the line.
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5. Dragon Lee
In 2022, Dragon Lee left Ring of Honor and eventually made his debut in All Elite Wrestling.
Alongside his brother RUSH and Andrade El Idolo, Lee took part in the inaugural AEW World Trios Championship Tournament.
Despite his strong showing in his first round bout, Lee decided to sign with WWE and has been on the roster since 2023. While he has had his success in NXT and as World Tag Team Champion, Lee has felt like someone who has not properly shined in WWE.
Considering his stunning in-ring ability and his brothers still being with the company, Dragon Lee feels like someone who could garner a bigger spotlight by moving to AEW and joining Tommaso Ciampa on the roster.
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4. Shinsuke Nakamura
On the January 24 edition of WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event, AJ Styles defeated Shinsuke Nakamura.
This bout was widely regarded as one of the best WWE matches in recent memory and reminded everyone just how good Nakamura can truly be.
At 45 years old, Nakamura feels like he still has something left in the tank, but there is no guarantee that WWE will truly showcase his skills with the limited time he has still in the squared circle.
In AEW, Nakamura could get that time and opportunity to end his career the right way and also reunite with some of his career rivals or peers, such as Don Callis Family members Kazuchika Okada and Konosuke Takeshita.
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3. Finn Balor
Another WWE star who recently reminded the audience of how great they are is Finn Balor.
On the January 19 edition of WWE Raw, CM Punk defeated Balor to retain the World Heavyweight Championship in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
A night he called the best of his career, Balor earned everyone’s respect and got to truly display what makes him special.
While his future still feels somewhat uncertain in WWE, Balor could shock the world if he chose to leave the company and join a former opponent Tommaso Ciampa in AEW where he will be viewed as a living legend in many ways.
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2. Bayley
A name that has been linked to a move to All Elite Wrestling recently is Bayley.
After being removed from the WrestleMania 41 card in 2025, all eyes were on Bayley in regards to what WWE truly sees in her.
Despite being one of the most decorated female stars to ever step in a WWE ring, Bayley has felt under-utilized and not as appreciated as some of her peers on the roster.
With her contract set to expire in 2026, it feels completely fathomable that Bayley could choose to leave WWE to join not only Tommaso Ciampa, but also her career rival and best friend Mercedes Moné in AEW before long.
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1. AJ Styles
At WWE Royal Rumble 2026, AJ Styles will put his career on the line against GUNTHER in a highly anticipated bout on the card.
Following his retirement announcement, fans knows Styles plans to end his career in 2026, but some do not think that will happen at the Rumble.
If Styles loses, he will be closing out his WWE career before his contract reportedly expires in February.
With his time with WWE coming to a close, there is the possibility that AJ Styles could choose to finish out 2026 in another promotion with AEW presenting the most potential with some tantalizing matches against the likes of Kenny Omega, MJF or Samoa Joe.
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